Thankful Thoughts A-Z

As you are all perfectly aware, today is Thanksgiving. I thought it would be nice to make an alphabetical list of things I am thankful for, because even though everyone is doing things like that, I want to undertake the challenge of writing an odd and entertaining list.

Agatha Christie's incredibly clever, twisting, prolific mystery writing.

Bathrooms. Even though I'm procrastinating cleaning them right now, I am truly grateful for indoor plumbing.

Clue. It's an extremely fun game, especially when you have the murder mystery stereotype characters talk to each other dramatically as they throw around accusations.

Doctor Who

Eyesight. It's a truly wonderful thing.

Forums: When I was younger, I could not fit in with my peers and resorted to making friends online, where I could connect with people who actually appreciated and understood me. It sounds creepy, but the Children's Bible Hour forum was a safe place to start in 2008, and even though it shut down, I'm still friends with a few of the people I met there. In 2010, I joined The Dancing Lawn, the Narnia forum where I discovered that people actually liked me and that I had something to offer. I made lifelong friends on that forum and was pleasantly acquainted with others who also helped me feel a sense of worth and significance as I interacted with them and was welcomed into the community. I am profoundly thankful that God brought that forum into my life when I was lonely and desperate.

Good books

Hands. If not for them, I would be typing this with my nose, and Thanksgiving would be over by the time I finished the post.

Imagination

Jesus. But since I am trying to do unconventional things: journals too.

Kings Kaleidoscope, a wonderful band I have enjoyed listening to for the past several months. I'm so glad a friend introduced me to their music.

Libraries. I love the public library and my terrific job there.

Mountains

Narnia: reading those books changed my life and, in many ways, made me who I am today. I did write a post about it once, even though I just scratched the surface of one facet of its influence.

Owl City. I'm actually listening to an Owl City song on repeat as I write this... It's "Tidal Wave," which was my anthem in the past when I desperately needed it.

Petersons: this is the imaginary family I write stories about. I began making up these characters in June 2011, and have one hundred thirteen Word documents in the folder designated to them. I don't really know how to express what an enormous, wonderful part of my life they are, so I'll just say this and won't try.

Qi, qua, qat, and other unconventional 'q' words that are helpful in Words with Friends.

Role-play Apples to Apples.

Snoopy pajamas

That's Rich: it's an inside joke and the name of my group chat with Emily, Elizabeth, and Gaby. We have a truly wonderful friendship, and this group chat ranges from sharing serious prayer requests to plotting stories to posting links to funny Internet memes. It is such a blessing to have a friend group like this.

Underhills: I'm very grateful for this wonderful family that mine has been friends with since before I was born. Those of you who are well versed in Tolkien trivia can wonder if it's their real last name or if I'm borrowing Frodo's alias. (Well, now you can all wonder.)

VeggieTales. I owe so much to this show: my sense of humor, various vocabulary words, a number of cultural and literary references, endless quotes, funny songs to belt out, and the privilege of exclaiming at various crucial moments, "What happens next? Does the hippo SEE them? Is the poor mute cebu successful in communicating the imminent danger to the other passengers? Is the boy INJURED? Why is the sad cebu sad? Is the canoe wood or ALUMINUM?"

Writing

Xylophones, because they provide a convenient 'x' word for children's alphabet books and my post right now.

YouTube videos, specifically Messy Mondays and Studio C.

Zoos. When I was little, there was an excellent, small, local zoo that we could visit, and even though it eventually closed, I am grateful for the special experiences I had there. Also, I am grateful for my family's visit to the D.C. zoo, where I got to see pandas, including a cub, when I was younger.